Delos w



(No Model.)

I 1). GITOHELL. METHOD OF LURING OR LU$TBRING HATS. No. 373,889.

Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

"UNITED STATES tries.

PATENT DELOS "W. GITOHELL, OF MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF LURING OR LUSTERING HATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,889, dated November29, 1887.

Applicationfiled April 4, 1887. Serial No. 233,581, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it knownthat I, DELOS \V. GITCHELL, of Middletown, in the county ofOrange and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin the Method of Luring or Lustering Hats, of which the following is aspecification.

Felt hats are commonly, beforeironing, subjected to a luring orlustering operation, in order to lay the nap and give the hat a betterappearance when ironed. This luring or lustering has commonly been doneby a stationary surface held against the revolving hat.

In carrying out my invention, I subject the hat, while'b'eing slowlyrevolved, to the action of a rapidly-rotating luring-surface againstwhich the hat is held; and my invention consists in an improvement inthe method of luring the under side of a hat-brim, consisting inproducing a rubbing action across the face or under side of the brim ina direction from the center outward.

By the above-referred-to method of luring or lustering hats a betterfinish is given the hat than has been heretofore possible, and as theunder side of thebrim is a part which is felt closely and inspected bypurchasers, my improvement renders the hat more salable.

In carrying out my invention, I may employ a machine or apparatussimilar to that which forms the subject of my application for LettersPatent, Serial No. 233,580, filed April 4, 1887, and which is shown inthe accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a side elevation, andFig. 2 a plan, of the machine.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in bothfigures.

A A designate feed-rolls, by which the brim of the hat is fed slowly ina circular or nearly circular path, the whole hat being rotated orturned, and these rollers are mounted upon shafts B B. The rollersherein represented are made in the form of frusta of cones, and in orderto bring their feeding-surfaces into proper relation the shafts'B Bdiverge from the rollers toward the opposite ends of the shafts. Theshafts B B may be connected by gear-wheels B to provide for thesynchronous rotation of the rollers A A, and motion may be imparted toboth feed-rolls by a belt passing over a driving-pulley, B, on the upperrollshaft, B. The lower roll-shaft, B, I have represented as journaledin bearings bin thelower fixed frame portion, 0, and in order to providefor varying the distance apart of the roll-surfaces I have representedthe upper roll-shaft, B, as journaled in bearings b in an adjustableupper frame portion, 0, which is here represented as hinged at a nearthe feed-rolls, and is at its outer end adjustably connected with themain lower frame portion, 0, by a bolt and nuts 0 a, or other suitablemeans. By raising or lowering the end of the upper frame portion, 0, atwhich is the bolt 0, I may vary the pressure which the feed-rollersexert upon the hat.

D designates a wheel mounted upon a shaft, D, whichis journaled inbearings d, and arranged to rotate at the side of the feed-rollers A Aand in a plane substantially parallel with the axes of said rollers. Thewheel D has a luring or lustering surface, (1 and may be driven at arapid speed of rotation by a belt passing onto a pulley, d. The luringor lustering surface d may be of wool, fur, silk, or other material,according to what is best adapted for the quality of hat to be operatedon. As the feedrollers, by gripping the brim of the hat, which is' shownin dotted outline, move the hat in a circular or approximately circularpath, the luring-wheel D exerts aluring action upon the under side ofthe brim and in a direction outward from the center or substantiallyradial to the hat. This rubbing action exerted by the wheel D serves tolay the nap on the under side of the brim toward the outer edge of thebrim and enables the hat to be given a better finish in ironing. It isob-- vious that the hat might be slowly moved or revolved by hand overthe luring-wheel D with good results.

In order to render the wheel D more effective in its action upon thehat, I have represented a pad, E, which may be faced with materialsimilar to the surfacing material (2 of the wheel.

This pad, as is here shown, is secured upon the end of a lever, E, whichis fulcrumed at e to a post, E, and by means of a rod, E and treadle E,which is below the bed or table or bench G, thelever may be drawndownward, so as to press the pad Estrongly upon the hat brim to pressthe hat-brim against the wheel D. The rod E works through a guide, 0,upon the post E, and when not drawn down by the treadle E the lever andpad EE are lifted by producing a rubbing action across the face or 10the spring e.

under side of the brim in a direction from the I have here made no claimto the machine center outward, substantially as herein deshown, as itforms the subject of my abovescribed. 5 referred-t0 application forLetters Patent. I

DELOS W. GITOHELL.

\Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The improvement in the method of luring the under side of a hat-brim,consisting in \Vitnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, EMIL HERTER.

